Hospice Family Caregiver Perceptions of Benefits and Challenges of a Telenovela Educational Intervention.

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Telenovelas show significant promise as a mode of education that could potentially enhance hospice family caregivers' (HFCG) ability to manage distress or pain for themselves and the care recipient. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> We sought to understand HFCGs' perceived benefits and challenges of NOVELA using the Levels of Kirkpatrick as a conceptual framework. <b><i>Setting/Subjects:</i></b> HFCGs from two hospices in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. <b><i>Measurements:</i></b> Semistructured interviews were conducted to understand perceptions of HFCGs on the benefits and challenges of the NOVELA intervention. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Participants (<i>N</i> = 20) in our study were mainly homebound, well educated, White female, and adult children of people with advanced cancer who reported mild anxiety and moderate self-efficacy at baseline. Three unique themes were identified: acceptability of NOVELA, usability and relevance of NOVELA, and the effect of NOVELA. According to our conceptual model, the intervention positively affects all three adult learning categories: reaction, learning, and behavior. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our findings suggest that HFCGs support the proposed NOVELA intervention and it appears to be an acceptable educational tool during hospice care (NCT04533594).